When you shouldn’t write your own will

You own a business that you’re leaving to someone as part of your will

You have people who are financially dependent on you other than your immediate family

Your will includes any wishes that might be misunderstood or are even slightly complex

What are the risks of a DIY will?

The general message is – only use a DIY will if your wishes are very simple and your financial situation isn’t complicated.

You might save money up front compared with using a professional service, but if you get anything wrong you could be stirring up trouble for your family and friends when it comes to sorting out your finances after you’ve died.

Remember that, if you use a will template, the company that supplies it won’t take any responsibility for your will being correctly made.

If you make any mistakes which cause problems when your will is read, there won’t be any legal comeback at all.

If you get it badly wrong, it could even mean that your will is invalid and the law decides who your money and property should go to.

Be specific – for example, don’t just leave everything to ‘my wife’ – use your wife’s full name.

Destroy any old wills – if you already have a will, make sure you destroy the old one and make sure the new one clearly states that it revokes the old one. The template you use should give you instructions on how to do this properly.

Tell your executor where the will is to be kept. They’ll need to know when you die.